March 30, 2012

We created Current to give voice to those Americans who refuse to rely on corporate-controlled media and are seeking an authentic progressive outlet. We are more committed to those goals today than ever before. Current was also founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers. Unfortunately these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it.

Yeouch. Olbermann reacts:

... [Al] Gore and [Joel] Hyatt, instead of abiding by their promises and obligations and investing in a quality news program, finally thought it was more economical to try to get out of my contract.

It goes almost without saying that the claims against me implied in Current's statement are untrue and will be proved so in the legal actions I will be filing against them presently....

In due course, the truth of the ethics of Mr. Gore and Mr. Hyatt will come out....

Oh! The ethics of Al Gore, exposed in a lawsuit brought by Keith Olbermann. I can almost hear the Gore-haters of the world salivating.

Honestly, now, hiring Olbermann and then acting surprised by his lack of "respect, openness, [and] collegiality" is like hiring Charlie Sheen and then complaining that he keeps bringing hookers to his trailer.

Well, Joel Hyatt is an ambulance chaser so I don't know about his ethics, either. Indeed, these three were made for each other but just like Lightfoot's movie star "who gets burned in a three-way script" it was alawys going to end tragically.

"The channel’s audience is comprised of affluent, curious, social and connected adults who crave the kind of entertaining, enlightening, witty and informative programming found on Current’s TV and online properties."

Sounds like they're describing the Althouse blog. Maybe you'll pick up a few of those affluent, curious, social and connected adults who are now disgruntled Olberman fans.

Can't they both lose?Why yes they can. If this turns into a protracted lawsuit, fortunes could be whittled away arguing over who is at fault.The only problem is that this will undoubtedly enrich a left-leaning law firm.

I've always been strangely proud that English lacks a word or phrase for schadenfreude. Decades of pride in the American value of wishing the best for others and not understanding the Balkan concept of being happy that my neighbor's donkey died. Olbermann has taught this old dog to embrace a foreign value.

It's kind of like when the Oakland Raiders (the 4th point on the Axis of Evil) play the Kansas City Chiefs or the Chargers - I kind of hope both teams could lose. In lawsuits, that can actually happen. The expenses can make even winning a Pyrrhic Victory.

Leftards begin to cannibalize each other when their precious ideology rams head on into the wall of reality. Olbie is a crank that forgot to douche his mouth out. Good riddance to that pustule on the ass of Urkel.

What's the chance this leads to a real downward spiral for Keith? Who's going to hire him now? Will we find him drinking under a bridge in 10 years, muttering about what used to be? Or will he perhaps flame out a la Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston? It's hard to imagine him regaining even a shadow of his former prominence. I hope he saved plenty of money.

Okay, this is not off topic. Shut up, it totally connects. Did you notice the drunk singing the full on Bohemian Rhapsody while in custody in the back of a police car? The police we so entertained they let him finish the song.

And this Olberman and Gore thing is exactly like that in so many ways like,

@Chip. I love that drunk! I was trying to think if I ever was that drunk. Don't think so. I have something to aspire to. Is it possible that Gore and Obey are like that ALL the time. That would be awesome.

Can you discern an arc in that list of names? And in which direction is it going?

"I love that drunk!"

Off-topic once removed - Does anyone know whatever happened to that homeless announcer guy with the golden voice who had his 15 minutes of fame a few months ago before he went off to rehab? Any word lately?

Whoops! When I left my comment, I was as skiing down a link some may not have yet read. http://hotair.com/archives/2012/03/30/breaking-current-tv-terminates-relationship-with-olbermann-replaces-him-with-eliot-spitzer/

After being sacked, Olbermann twittered, "In due course, the truth of the ethics of Mr. Gore and Mr. Hyatt will come out."

This is some kind of Gawker send up. The bit about hiring Eliot Spitzer as a replacement is the give away. Next installment they'll be telling you he's taken a position as an account exec with the Limbaugh ad team. This is all done to tease you. It's a very cruel practical joke they're playing.

Unlike someone like Rush Limbaugh, who can generate enough followers to exist in his own business universe, Olbermann inspires practically no loyalty. There are plenty of folks who love his snarky, hateful act, but he's just a pompous ass. Try going it alone Bath Tub Boy, you've proven nothing yet.

Re: Al Gore. Yes, yes he was a very bad man. What else would you call a man who gets rich telling other people how much energy they should use, while squandering prolifically on his own. Who rails about you driving your car, while flying all over the world to tell people your car is killing the planet.Who tries to set up a world wide extortion scheme to "sell" carbon credits.

Did Current TV simply use Keith to gain attention and higher ratings? They KNEW what they were getting! Keith injects emotion into his commentary, his intelligent and incisive reporting, his humor, and his relationships....all of which makes his program so interesting. You FEEL his pain, you FEEL his anger, and you FEEL his heart-felt sincerity when he covers a story. He's never just a talking head! If Keith is absent from Current TV, then I too will be absent from Current TV. Keith is one of the best- hands down; as shown by is coverage of OWS, which was outstanding. I wish him well and hope he is back on the air soon. We need his unique voice.

This implies that he didn't start out at the bottom of the gutter. I've despised him since he was a "sportscaster" (who knew little about sports) before I even knew what his politics were. Olbermann becoming a political "commentator" was even more laughable than the conversion of theater critic Frank Rich at the NYT.

Irony is that with such a rinky-dink outfit as Current, KO may have some legitimate gripes. But his past doesn't get him the benefit of the doubt, not to mention its why he was at Current. He was out of major media outlets.